Athletics Australia (AA) says the creation of the new high performance director role will help ensure track and field maximises its funding and resources in the build-up to the 2016 Olympics.

The position was established in the wake of AA's post-London Olympics review and it was announced last week that experienced British track and field administrator Simon Nathan would take up the role from next month.

Nathan is the former head of performance operations at UK Athletics and among several key appointments he was Great Britain's lead track and field team manager at the London Games, where the hosts won four gold medals.

His assignment with AA involves managing the high performance department in regard to its strategy and funding, as well as overseeing selection policy.

Nathan's appointment means Eric Hollingsworth will be freed up to focus on the position of head coach.

Last year's release of the Australian Sports Commission's (ASC) 10-year high performance plan, titled Australia's Winning Edge, has given AA greater responsibility in how it delivers its high performance program.

AA and the federations of other Olympic sports will be in charge of their programs, but the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) will be responsible for high performance funding within the ASC.

This is aimed at making the sporting federations more accountable, as funding levels will be reviewed annually.

O'Brien says the need for a high performance director grew in light of the restructure of the government funding model.

"It was to really reinforce the department and have someone there who can administer and manage the whole process from all our contracts, with all our relationships with ... the institutes and with our coaches," he told Grandstand.

AA recognises a renewed emphasis on working with the AIS and the state institutes is vital, as how it uses its funding will come under increased scrutiny.

It was to really reinforce the department and have someone there who can administer and manage the whole process ...

Dallas O'Brien

Nathan's experience of working with Great Britain's peak track and field body and its various stakeholders makes him an ideal fit, according to O'Brien.

"He has a tireless work ethic," he said.

"He's got a great way with people and understanding relationships with important people like our institutes, the AIS etc., which is going to be critical in us going forward."

Meanwhile, AA is unlikely to look at adopting a United States-style intervarsity competition model in the future, as is being considered by Swimming Australia (SA) and proposed by rugby union's player association.

SA outlined late last year it may explore such an option after being approached by six universities, who wanted to make their training and sports science facilities available.

The Rugby Union Players' Association (RUPA) last month proposed an intervarsity competition for under 23 players to act as the third tier competition the 15-man code so desperately needs.

The Australian Rugby Union has indicated it will consider RUPA's proposal.

O'Brien says AA is not entertaining the introduction of similar competition models.

"Our plan is to work a lot closer with all the institutes of sport and the AIS, so the AIS will be a central figure for us," he said.

"We aren't going down the university line at the moment, but what we are doing is trying to maximise our relationship and services that all our institutes provide for our athletes in making sure all our athletes are part of that system.

"What has happened in the past is some people doing their own thing outside that system. You can't control the environment ... so we're making sure that is a strong stipulation for everyone to be part of that whole institute system."